Explorer serpentine on 351W

[rustbucket]

First, the search function on this forum is horrible! 10 seconds between searches? And it starts searching as I’m typing!

Anyway, I think I know the answer to this, but here it goes. I have a 1994 351W in the Bronco. A while back I went to a pull a part and picked up the front dress from an Explorer. I couldn’t get the damper off, as I didn’t have a puller with me.

I was talking to a friend about this yesterday, and he thought I could just use a 1995 Mustang short pulley. I don’t think this is correct, as I would think everybody would be doing it, but thought I would throw it out there. Any thoughts?


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[Z Bronco]

I believe you need the explorer damper, and I think Damper Dudes sells an after market one.

 

[landshark99]

You need an Explorer dampener or you can go aftermarket but most likely will have to do some machining to allow it to align with the belt properly. Your easier route is to get the explorer and have it balanced to your engine.

 

[snipes243]

You can use an aftermarket pulley with the right 28 oz balance and proper 4 bolt pattern. Then use an adapter pulley like from BC
https://bcbroncos.com/shop/engine/e...-pulley-aluminum-serpentine-for-early-bronco/

Just be careful if you go with an aftermarket race style balancer you might have clearance the water pump to fit .

 

[Crush]

rustbucket
ok this is what I did. i ordered an explorer adapter pulley from wild horses or driven auto. then I used the 28 oz imbalance damper of my bronco 302 because it has the correct bolt pattern for the adapter pulley. then i transferred the timing marks from my stock 351 damper to the 302 damper by lining up the key-ways and marking the 0 from the 351 damper on the 302 damper. then I ordered a timing tape from summit and put its 0 on my fresh 0 mark. then I put the damper on and then the pulley. the timing marks had to transferred because the the timing pointer on a bronco is on the drivers side and the explorer front dress has it on the passenger side. this way you always have access to a stock damper and dont have order a special one from somewhere else.

you can use an aftermarket damper and the adapter pulley but some dampers are thicker and cause the pulley to not line up with the belt. the stock bronco damper is the one the adapter pulley was meant for and is 28ox just like all 351w

also there is one bolt that the expy front dress has that is not needed on the 351, you will figure it out pretty quick. some 351 cam bolts are too thick and rub the timing cover so check your clearance before buttoning it up. dont forget you will now need an electric fuel pump because the expy timing cover doed not have provisions one

 

[rustbucket]

rustbucket
ok this is what I did. i ordered an explorer adapter pulley from wild horses or driven auto. then I used the 28 oz imbalance damper of my bronco 302 because it has the correct bolt pattern for the adapter pulley. then i transferred the timing marks from my stock 351 damper to the 302 damper by lining up the key-ways and marking the 0 from the 351 damper on the 302 damper. then I ordered a timing tape from summit and put its 0 on my fresh 0 mark. then I put the damper on and then the pulley. the timing marks had to transferred because the the timing pointer on a bronco is on the drivers side and the explorer front dress has it on the passenger side. this way you always have access to a stock damper and dont have order a special one from somewhere else.

you can use an aftermarket damper and the adapter pulley but some dampers are thicker and cause the pulley to not line up with the belt. the stock bronco damper is the one the adapter pulley was meant for and is 28ox just like all 351w

also there is one bolt that the expy front dress has that is not needed on the 351, you will figure it out pretty quick. some 351 cam bolts are too thick and rub the timing cover so check your clearance before buttoning it up. dont forget you will now need an electric fuel pump because the expy timing cover doed not have provisions one

Crush,
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I don’t have my old 302 harmonic balancer anymore. I may just buy a new Explorer one from RockAuto or something.


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[sanndmann3]

Rustbucket,
Since you didn't get the harmonic off means that you didn't get the timing cover either, right? Explorer timing cover is different from all others, as I understand it. No boss for fuel pump and skinnier than others. All the pieces work together to keep the belt in the same plane...

 

[Crush]

I didnt even think of that sandman. he prolly didnt get it...and an explorer balancer os 50 oz. you need a 28 oz. there are many people on here that prolly have one for you that is extra. or get a new replacement from a parts store. i believe in keeping as much stuff ford stock as I can to keep parts availability easy. might want to go back to the yard and get the balancer and timing cover

 

[rustbucket]

I guess my question is, why will the stock 351W balancer not work with the Explorer front dress? I know I would have to get a new pulley.


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[rustbucket]

Rustbucket,
Since you didn't get the harmonic off means that you didn't get the timing cover either, right? Explorer timing cover is different from all others, as I understand it. No boss for fuel pump and skinnier than others. All the pieces work together to keep the belt in the same plane...

Now that you mention it, I believe you are right. I may have missed that too. I guess I’ll throw a puller and some other tools in the back and go for a drive!


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[murdador]

I guess my question is, why will the stock 351W balancer not work with the Explorer front dress? I know I would have to get a new pulley.

That's my question too. I've pull all the parts for this conversion and I'm wondering that too.

Is the the stock 351 balancer too wide or too thin, making the belt not line up??

 

[Crush]

The 351 balancer is a 4 bolt and the adapter pulley is a three bolt SO U NEED A 302 THREE BOLT 28 OZ BALANCER, OR REBALANCED EXPLORER, OR AFTERMARKET

 

[rustbucket]

The 351 balancer is a 4 bolt and the adapter pulley is a three bolt SO U NEED A 302 THREE BOLT 28 OZ BALANCER, OR REBALANCED EXPLORER, OR AFTERMARKET

That still does not answer the question. The 351W is a 4 bolt 28oz. There are 4 bolt pulleys available. Are there just none that put the belt in the right place? The ‘95 Mustang pulley brings it pretty close.


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[rustbucket]

This is the pulley I was hoping would work.

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[Crush]

The only pulley with the correct dimensions for the explorer front dress was made for a 302 it will work with a 351 but you must make the changes i listed above. the mustang pulley in the pic above does not line up with the explorer pulleys and will cause squeaks and premature belt failure. i tried that mustang pully and it does not line up with the explorer pulleys. just by a very small amount but enough to cause serious belt squeal and premature belt failure

if the mustang and explorer front dresses were interchangeable, do you think ford would have made two different balancers? the explorer one has the pulley made onto it and the mustang is removable. if both dresses had the same belt line up then they would not have needed tho different balancers. the timing ring is prolly why they are different lengths

 

[murdador]

The only pulley with the correct dimensions for the explorer front dress was made for a 302 it will work with a 351 but you must make the changes i listed above. the mustang pulley in the pic above does not line up with the explorer pulleys and will cause squeaks and premature belt failure. i tried that mustang pully and it does not line up with the explorer pulleys. just by a very small amount but enough to cause serious belt squeal and premature belt failure

if the mustang and explorer front dresses were interchangeable, do you think ford would have made two different balancers? the explorer one has the pulley made onto it and the mustang is removable. if both dresses had the same belt line up then they would not have needed tho different balancers. the timing ring is prolly why they are different lengths

Thank you Crush. That knowledge will save me so much time and headaches.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Years ago I was doing a V8 Ranger. The V8 Ranger forums had some weird combo of parts. They ran mostly '94/5 mustang parts except the driver's side A/C and Power steering bracket. The used an Explorer bracket over there. But to make the belts line up there was a thick shim under the bracket. Something like 1¼" thick shim. I used all Explorer stuff and had a good cooling fan that they didn't have.

There is no way to make a 4-bolt damper work with a full Explorer accessory drive.

 

[EFI Guy]

I'd just buy one from Damper Dudes rather than reinventing the wheel. I've heard from a few people try to use the add on pulleys and fight belt noise. The added bonus is that the Explorer tone ring makes it possible to run the best EFI system around. =)

 

[Crush]

^^^^this is an excellent reason to use the damper dudes balancer.

 

[rguest3]

ONLY the 94-95 5.0L front dress has the same depth as the Explorer 5.0L.

If I recall correctly, someone has the correct pulley for the Conversion with the stock 351W Balancer. BC or WH is my guess.